by David Alexander

DURING THE MIDDLE of the last century, the intersection of Ann Street and North Fourth Avenue, in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, was the crossroads of the African American business district. Saturday, it played host to a festival aiming to keep the spirit of that vibrant community fresh in the mind’s of today’s citizens.

The African American Downtown Festival (AADF) celebrated 19 years in style from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., offering a something for almost everyone — regardless of their background. From kids games to music, from art to food, the festival was multifaceted, and the faces in the crowd told the story of its appeal. Children jumped in a Disney princess bouncy castle. The smoky aroma drew hungry passersby to wrought iron grills that billowed smoke like a listless dragon.

Teesha Montague, event coordinator for the AADF, said the festival’s formula remains the same even if the musicians, themes and events change from yearly.

“It’s just a good time to bring everybody from every culture, ethnicity, background together,” she said. “It’s just like a dance party in the streets … it’s a day of togetherness and unity.”

In keeping with the wishes of its founder, the late Lucille Hall-Porter, the festival’s goal is to honor African Americans contributions to Washtenaw County, specifically in the business arena, in a culturally relevant locale. Porter, who died in 2007 at the age of 90, also founded Community Leaning Post, a non-profit geared to help underprivileged youth. Amid the festivities Saturday, festival-goers had the opportunity to take a break from enjoying their ribs, perusing crafts or listening to poetry recitations to visit a plaque dedicated to Porter.

By mid-afternoon, downtown Ann Arbor seemed to be steeped in diversity. With an amalgamation of vendor booths covering the gamut from health and wellness to crafts and, of course, food, the streets were a melting pot of cultural synergy.

Mary Hinton’s family moved to Ann Arbor from Mississippi after her uncle, a hobo who rode the rails from the south, stopped in Ann Arbor and fell in love with the African American culture. Hilton is 66 now and lives in Ypsilanti, but she said she grew up just a few blocks from where she set up her booth, displaying her homemade jewelry and paintings, Saturday. She has been coming to the AADF for many years. She has seen the festival become more multicultural over the years, and she said her favorite part is the people.

“It brings back memories,” she said. “Every year it gets more mixed; I see people I don’t usually get to see. It’s a good thing.”

This year’s festival touted Detroit Rhythm and Blues artist Carl Carlton as its headline performer. Carlton is best known for his 1974 hit “Everlasting Love,” which reached No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Chart. Carlton took the stage at 4 p.m., and people immediately began imploring to play his other hit, “She’s a Bad Mama Jama.”

A general sense of camaraderie seeped from the venue as people greeted one another the way old friends would, giving the festival the feel of an extended family cookout.

“It brings people home who maybe haven’t been home in 20 years,” Montague said.

As the afternoon waned on, Mark Brown, 56, and Juawan Marsh, 34, both of Ypsilanti, sat in the shade soaking up the atmosphere. Marsh had agreed to help tend to his sister’s booth in exchange for a six-pack, beers from which he and Brown sipped on while Brown’s daughter and granddaughter sat behind the two as they chatted. Brown said the singing and dancing is what drew him.

“The food is wonderful,” Marsh said. “It’s just a good family event.”

At 5 p.m., AADF organizers presented the Community Icon Awards, honoring those who Montague said are “trailblazers who keep the sense of community going.” The awards give recognition to those who strive to build a brighter future by focusing on today’s youth, she said.

Feedback from the event is continually positive, she added.

Whether it’s elated children innocently in the throes of carnival-style games, a 20-something-year-old artist sharing her craft with passersby or a middle-aged man nodding his head nostalgically to Carlson’s smooth R&B melodies, it’s easy to see why Montague has heard few complaints.

SIDEBAR:

Washtenaw Community College Staffer Introduces Lemonade Day Program to Ypsilanti Kids and Their Parents

Dr. Kim Hurns is the Director of the Entrpreneurship Center at Washtenaw Community College. For this year’s Ann Arbor African American Downtown Festival Dr. Hurns and WCC worked to introduce the Lemonade Day program to Ypsilanti families. “Save a third, spend a third, donate a third. That’s how Lemonade Day works,” explained Dr. Hurns.

There was an official training workshop on May 3rd at WCC. Park Ridge Community Center in Ypsilanti hosted additional trainings every Tuesday through May. The kids built their lemonade stand and opened for business on June 7 at the AADF.

Started in 2007 by Houston philanthropist and entrepreneur Michael Holthouse, Lemonade Day has become a national event where children register for free backpacks filled with age-appropriate information on how to start and become successful running a business.

In Ypsilanti, the WCC Lemonade Day Program teaches business and entrepreneurial skills to kids and their parents. In 2012, 4,900 little entrepreneurs across Southeast Michigan registered for Lemonade Day Detroit and those participants donated about $230,000 to the charities of their choice. The kids learned to set goals, developed a plan, secured an investor, created a product, made a profit and gave back to their community.

“These kids and their parents worked for weeks,” said Dr. Hurns, smiling. “It’s an amazing program.”—Editor